Foreign nationals working as prison officers in the United Kingdom have been granted a temporary exemption from the new visa rules.
The exemption follows warnings that some jails are facing a staffing crisis, with custodial centres relying on overseas recruits, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana.
As part of migration-cutting measures introduced in July, the minimum salary required for a skilled worker visa was raised to £41,700 from £38,700.
The Prison and Probation Service’s pay scale shows prison officers start on less than £41,700, especially in locations outside London.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) said the changes to the salary threshold could result in the loss of over 2,500 overseas recruits, describing the impact as “catastrophic” for prison stability.
Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, had said many jails were heavily dependent on prison officers recruited from West Africa, noting that many are in danger of not having their visas renewed, which would have a “devastating effect” on prisons.
The exemption applies to applicants already in the country and lasts until the end of 2026, with a lower salary threshold of £33,400 in place until December 31, 2027.
The UK justice ministry said the move would ensure jails can continue to run safely with the right level of experienced staff.
Since 2023, UK prisons have been reportedly sponsoring visa applications for overseas recruits to address a shortage of British candidates.
In April, a government report showed that over 769 Nigerians were recruited to work in UK prisons in 2024, representing 29% of applicants and 12% of staff hired in jails across England and Wales.
This made Nigerians the largest group after Britons to apply for or secure prison jobs in 2024, followed by Ghanaians, who received 140 job offers.